During the Cabinet meeting on June 4, 2025, Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema highlighted the chronic underestimation of Gabon’s economic potential. He is calling for a comprehensive reform of macroeconomic aggregates to incorporate the country’s natural wealth into its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calculation. The goal of this initiative is to accurately represent the true value of national assets, enhance Gabon’s financial credibility, and strengthen its position in international economic negotiations.
The message from the President underscores that Gabon is a nation rich in resources yet significantly undervalued. He stressed that the current macroeconomic indicators, particularly the GDP, fail to adequately capture the strategic assets available in the country. These include forest resources, carbon credits, marine wealth, and mining potential, which are often minimally accounted for or overlooked in existing models.
To address this discrepancy, the President has instructed the Minister of Economy and Finance to undertake a thorough methodological review in collaboration with technical partners, aimed at comprehensively revising national economic aggregates. This reform is intended to project a more accurate and strategic vision of Gabon’s economy, recognizing its diverse and sustainable natural capital.
This adjustment of economic parameters is not merely technical; it is part of a strategic repositioning of Gabon on the international stage. President Oligui Nguema asserts that such reform will “strengthen the country’s financial credibility” by showcasing a better-valued economic reality that aligns with its actual resources.
Achieving this will provide Gabon with significant leverage in negotiations with economic partners, whether for financing, investments, or bilateral and multilateral collaborations. By “better positioning Gabon in economic negotiations and partnerships,” this initiative is rendered a strategic priority.
Incorporating natural capital into official statistics will not only reflect Gabon’s true wealth more accurately but will also enable more ambitious and coherent public policies that are better funded and aligned with the country’s resources. Overall, this effort represents a proactive step towards harnessing the true potential of Gabon’s economy for sustainable development and increased global engagement.